5Arrange pork chops 1 inch apart on top and bottom smoker racks. Cover and smoke about 1 hour 30 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in center of pork reads 160°F (pork will remain pink when done). If smoking stops, add additional wood chunks through side door of smoker.

Expert Tips

*2 cups hickory, mesquite or apple wood chips can be substituted.

Brining foods is now very trendy, but it's actually a centuries-old process. A brine is a marinade consisting of water and salt, with sugar, herbs or spices added for flavor. The concentration of salt in the water causes the food being brined (usually meat, poultry and fish) to absorb more of the water than if it were soaked in a traditional marinade containing a lot of acid ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar. The added moisture stays in the food during smoking or grilling, making it very moist but not too salty.